The present invention concerns guides for connecting lengths of threaded tubing, particularly production tubing in oil wells.
Production tubing is expensive. Ends of the tubes have particular configurations to seal joints between the tubes, particularly the tubes are threaded with threads which make tight interconnections to form a seal. Axially abutting portions of the ends are also configured to form seals. Usually the threads are tapered to provide ease of joining. Damage to the threads and ends of the tubes must be avoided during assembly to insure that the seals designed into the ends of the tube are functional after the tubes have been joined. Traditionally, tubing lengths are constructed with external threads on one end and internal threads on the other end. The ends with external threads are referred to as pins and the ends with internal threads are referred to as boxes. Usually tubing is assembled with the boxes in an upper position and the pins in a lower position on each tubing length.
Stabbing guides are used by placing the stabbing guide around the box and using the guide to guide the pin into the box while preventing contact of the lower end of the pin with the upper end of the box and preventing contact of the threads of the pin with the upper edge of the box. As soon as the threads of the pin have been inserted within the threads of the box, the stabbing guide is removed, and the pin is turned into the box to complete the seal.
Stabbing guides have taken varied forms. Some guides are thrown away after they have been used or worn. Others are repairable or refurbishable.
A need persists for a high quality stabbing guide which may be made with as few parts as possible in the interest of assembly and reliability and repairability and a guide in which tube contacting parts may be easily replaced or interchanged.